How Will I Know?
by sparky128
Summary: Merlin/Arthur - Arthur is drunk and protective, Merlin is cute :


Title: How will I know if he really loves me?

Author: topperchar

Characters: Arthur/Merlin, Gwen, Morgana, Lancelot, Will and Sophia.

Rating: NC-17

Word Count: 1,585

Summary: Arthur is drunk and protective, Merlin is just cute.

Warnings: Naughty language, a teeny bit of blaspheming and some lovely boy kissing

A/N: Um…please be nice to me, this is my first ever fanfic. I'm so nervous it is unbelievable. Sadly, I lack a beta and so all this is my own, mistakes and all. I hope it's ok and sorry if anything is truly awful. All I can say is that I tried.

Disclaimer: All characters are the property of the BBC and I shamelessly lifted the title and several lines in the fic from Whitney Houston's song How Will I know. Anyway, everything else is the product of my odd mind. Enjoy!

* * *

Arthur was drunk. Totally and completely, drunk. Morgana had insisted on taking him and Merlin out for a night on the town; she had been whining about how they hadn't been out in weeks and that they really ought to go out because, well, really. He had no idea what the 'really' meant; he personally thought it was totally irrelevant to her argument.

But, nevertheless he and Merlin had agreed and they had met Morgana, Gwen, Lance and Will down at that stupid little club that they insist on going to every bloody time they go out. And then of course Arthur had got completely pissed and ended up dancing on some poor blokes table because that's what all drunk people do isn't it? No wait, it's only Arthur who does that. Then they had all somehow ended up outside and none of them can remember how that happened seen as they are all totally smashed, apart from Lance because he's the sensible-knight-in-shining-armour-and-all-that-blah-blah-blah guy.

And so that is how Arthur came to be drunk and lying on his back on the pavement waiting for a taxi which he isn't even sure anyone's called for. Oh well, at least Merlin is sitting next to him, in fact his thigh seems to be making a pretty good pillow for Arthur's head.

He was so going to regret this in the morning. Why did he listen to Morgana?

"How will I know if he really loves me?" Gwen shout-sang at the top of her voice. Next to her, Morgana was spinning round in circles with her arms above her head. Lance was standing slightly to the side, poised and ready to catch them if either fell.

Will was standing in the road staring up at the sky. Arthur couldn't think of a reason for him to be doing that, but what the hell, why not?

He felt a hand slide through his hair and he tore his eyes away from Will to look up at Merlin. He was smiling his stupid smile down at him and stroking his hair. It should have been sappy, but it really wasn't. Arthur felt his chest constrict. _You know you got it bad when it affects you when you're drunk._ He thought to himself while unconsciously returning Merlin's goofy smile.

"Hi." He said pointlessly.

Merlin laughed, "Hi back."

Arthur frowned then. "Why did I let Morgana convince me to do this?"

The hand stroking his hair stilled, Arthur whined. Merlin rolled his eyes and continued stroking. "You're spoilt. And I don't know."

"Don't know what?" Arthur asked, already forgetting his earlier question.

It was Merlin's turn to frown. "I can't remember." He shrugged, "I'm sure it's not important."

"Hmm." Arthur agreed. What did he care? As long as Merlin kept stroking his hair he was happy.

"Falling in love is so bittersweet!" It was Morgana's turn to shout-sing this time. Arthur winced at her out of tune attempt of the Whitney classic.

Merlin chuckled.

"What?" Arthur asked.

"You're drunk and you're still a prat." Merlin grinned. "I don't know anyone who gets drunk and turns their nose up at Morgana's singing. Besides," He tilted his head to the side. "I think it sounds good."

Arthur snorted. "You would."

Merlin just grinned again and twisted his fingers in Arthur's hair.

Arthur felt his eyes drift closed. He didn't know how long they were closed for, but he had the vague feeling that he had fallen asleep because when he came to Morgana and Gwen's crazy singing had stopped and Merlin's hand was no longer in his hair.

He whined and opened his eyes. Merlin wasn't looking down at him; he was looking across the road. Arthur pouted and turned his head to look at what Merlin was looking at.

"Oh god no." He muttered.

Sophia, his ex-girlfriend turned stalker, was standing in the road a few feet from them. Will was no longer looking at the sky; he along with all of Arthur's other friends seemed to be having some weird, silent confrontation with Sophia.

Arthur sat up; somewhere in the back of his mind he noted that his butt was numb. "Hello." He heard someone say. It wasn't till Sophia turned to look at him that he realized it was he who had said it. "Um…"

"Arthur." She said her voice too high and her smile too sweet. "It's nice to see you."

"Um…" He said again and looked at Merlin who was looking at Morgana. Arthur moved his gaze to Morgana who was glaring with a frightening intensity at Sophia.

"I'm sorry to see that you haven't been able to find any decent friends since the last time I saw you." Sophia was speaking to him. He turned his gaze back to her. "You could join us if you like." She glanced over her shoulder and Arthur saw a group of people standing on the other side of the road who he hadn't noticed before. "What do you say? It will be better than staying with this lot." She cast a distasteful look over Will, Gwen, Morgana and Lance. She saved Merlin for last; she outright glared at him and if looks could kill…

Arthur felt something fierce and protective flare up in his chest. Merlin was looking down at the pavement now, a faint blush colouring his cheeks; obviously embarrassed. Arthur slipped an arm around Merlin's waist and pulled him tight against his side. "I like it here." He growled at her.

Sophia glared even harder at Merlin. "Oh piss off, will ya'?" Will said. "We don't want to fucking go near you, you stupid hag. And Arthur quite obviously ain't interested." Arthur had never been happier to hear Will's condescending, common words ever before in his life. He had just shot up to somewhere near the top of Arthur's good-books.

She looked at Will with a disgusting look on her face. "Don't speak to me." Sophia turned away from Will and looked back at Arthur.

Arthur shrugged. "He's right. Why shouldn't he speak to you?"

Sophia's face twisted into one of disbelief. "How can you choose that _thing_ over me?" She gestured at Merlin and then at herself.

Arthur jumped up and took a step forward as Will tried to take a swing at her, but ended up falling over. Lance was holding back both Gwen and Morgana and simultaneously looking as though he'd very much like to take a swing at her himself. Merlin stood up too and grabbed hold of Arthur's hand before he could get any closer. It was amazing how quickly people could sober up.

"Don't you say that about him you- you-" Arthur was struggling to find words bad enough to describe her.

"Bitch!" Gwen supplied helpfully.

"Slag!" Morgana shouted.

"Whore!" Even Lance, biggest pacifist of all time, was shouting.

"Shlup." Will said round a mouthful of dirt. Arthur had a feeling it was supposed to be something along the lines of 'slut'.

He gave up trying to sum up Sophia's awful personality and just stuck with glaring at her. "If you ever even think about insulting him or coming near us ever again, I will make your life hell!"

Her face crumpled and she stamped her foot like a petulant child. Arthur glared harder. She flicked her hair behind her back. "Whatever, but if you change your mind…" She smiled at him suggestively.

Arthur felt like stamping _his_ foot, but he knew he'd just look like an idiot. Instead he decided on turning to Merlin and pulling him into a bone-crushing kiss. He swiped his tongue along Merlin's lower lip. The boy gasped, granting Arthur access. Arthur slipped his hands down to cup Merlin's ass and pull his hips forward to meet his. Merlin's arms came up to hook around Arthur's neck and he groaned into his mouth. Arthur nearly got lost in the kiss before he realized where he was. He pulled back and found that he was breathless.

"Don't bother Sophia." His voice was hoarse. "I'm not changing my mind." He looked up to meet Merlin's eyes; he was smiling so wide it looked like his face would split in half, his lips were red and parted and his eyes were glazed. Arthur had never seen anything more beautiful.

"Fine." Sophia said and with that she was gone, returning to her silly little friends.

Lance relaxed his hold on Gwen and Morgana and went to help Will up. Arthur slipped his arms up to Merlin's waist and pulled him even closer. Merlin looked down and blushed.

Arthur's hand came up to cup Merlin's chin and bring his face back up. Their eyes met. "Thank you." Merlin whispered.

"Anytime." Arthur replied as he went back in for another kiss.

The boys stayed locked together, kissing and nipping and generally forgetting that they were standing at the side of the road in the middle of London, until Morgana cleared her throat and said, "Taxi's here."

They pulled apart and made their way over to where the others were standing. Merlin's hand was grasped in Arthur's and he didn't let go even as they slipped into the back of the taxi.

They were halfway home when Arthur spoke again. "I love you." He said into the skin at Merlin's neck. The others tactfully pretended they couldn't hear.

"I know." Merlin replied with his stupid huge smile. Arthur found himself smiling back just as stupidly and just as hugely.

Maybe he would thank Morgana after all.

**~ End :) Rate and review please!**


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